Studying in Europe is fascinating for international students, and a lot of international students dream of studying at the cheapest universities in Europe. According to Times Higher Education, two Italian universities have been crowned the cheapest universities in Europe, according to a new analysis by foreign exchange company FairFX. These universities have been named the cheapest for both EU and international students because there are no tuition fees, and the universities cover living costs for all students.
In today’s video, we bring you the top 10 cheapest universities in Europe for international students.
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10. University of Freiburg, Germany.
The University of Freiburg is only the fifth oldest institution in Germany, despite having been founded more than 550 years ago. Nevertheless, it has a long tradition of teaching both humanities and sciences, earning it a reputation as one of Germany’s top universities abroad. There are 120 distinct countries represented within the student body, with around 16 percent of students being international.
Across its eleven faculties, the college offers 180 undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs. Innovative and interdisciplinary studies are highly valued, and a bachelor’s degree can be enhanced with an interdisciplinary year.
Roughly 4,000 students, or 15% of applicants, were given admission to the institution in 2010. Both EU and non-EU students are not charged tuition; however, there is an annual minor administrative cost of about 200 euros. Because they provide more economical options than private rentals, dorms for students are incredibly popular. They are managed by the university as well as other organizations with distinct missions.
The tuition fee for EU students is £274, and the living cost is £6,640, making a total of £6,914. However, non-EU students are to pay £2,656 more in fees. Additionally, the university ranked 128th in the World University Rankings 2024, 401–600th in Impact Rankings 2023 and 176-200th in the World Reputation Rankings 2023..
9. University of Mannheim, Germany.
The University of Mannheim is a top research university in Germany that focuses mostly on the social and economic sciences. Mannheim’s first School of Commerce was established in 1907 and expanded rapidly to become a prosperous university.
International students frequently refer to it as the most beautiful university campus in Germany because much of it is built in and around the largest Mannheim Baroque Palace in the nation. As a result, its 3,000 employees and 12,000 students enjoy the privilege of working in a motivating environment.
Mannheim’s goal is to ensure its competitiveness in the global higher education market by providing professors and students with a combined experience of teaching and research. Every academic program incorporates the fundamentals of business management.
This is one of the cheapest universities in Europe. Tuition fees for EU students are £277, with a living cost of £6,418, making a total of £6,696. However, non-EU students need to pay £2,655 more in fees. Additionally, the university ranks number 125 in the Times Higher Education World University ranking.
8. Heidelberg University, Germany.
Heidelberg University, one of the most research-intensive universities in Europe, was founded in 1386 and is currently the oldest university in Germany. The university’s outstanding reputation and prominent position in the scientific community are demonstrated by its triumphs in the German federal and state government’s Excellence Competitions, as well as by rankings recognized worldwide.
Heidelberg University now has about 30,000 enrolled students and offers a range of subject combinations with more than 180 study programs. This special range creates the ideal environment for individualized, multidisciplinary instruction. The university is made up of 20% international students, making it an academic haven for foreign students.
EU students pay up to £396 tuition fees and £6,197 living costs, making a total of £6,593. Interestingly, non-EU international students pay the same cost as EU students. The university ranks number 47 in the Times Higher Education World University ranking.
7. RWTH Aachen University, Germany.
The RWTH Aachen University was established in 1870 following Prince William of Prussia’s decision to use a contribution to establish a technological institute in the Rhine Province. Engineering was given a lot of attention, especially in the mining sector in the area.
It continues to be most well-known for its engineering and natural science programs, and since 2014, it has partnered with the city to present a distinguished annual Engineering Award to a notable person in the field.
One of the four main focuses of the work being done in RWTH Aachen’s research park is interdisciplinary research, which the university makes evident in its 2020 plan along with diversity, globalization, and the natural sciences. Additionally, it wants to be the best technological university in Germany and one of the five best in Europe.
EU students as well as all international students pay the same tuition fees of £455 and spend £5,976 in cost of living, making a total of £6,431. Additionally, the university ranks number 90 in the Times Higher Education World University ranking.
6. University of Würzburg, Germany.
One of Germany’s oldest universities, the University of Würzburg (full name: Julius-Maximilians University of Würzburg), is situated in northern Bavaria and was established in 1402.
With over 28,000 students and 10 faculties, the university provides academic programs in the humanities, law and economics, life sciences, natural sciences, and technology.
Cross-faculty research centers, such as the Research Center for Infectious Diseases, which houses academics and students from the colleges of medicine, biology, chemistry, and pharmacy, have been built here since the 1990s.
Additionally, Würzburg has hosted a graduate school since 2004 that permits doctorate candidates to pursue further education there. It offers a wide range of courses to a large number of students at various levels and is free for the general public.
Tuition fees for both EU and international students are at £220, and £6,197 is the estimated living cost, making a total of £6,417. The university ranks number 175 in the Times Higher Education World University ranking.
5. University of Göttingen, Germany.
The University of Göttingen, one of the country’s most esteemed institutions of higher learning, is situated in the center of Germany in the Saxon town of the same name. Known by its colloquial name, Georgia Augusta, the university was founded in 1737 and currently enrolls over 26,000 students, 11% of whom are from abroad.
A wide range of academic fields are represented among the 13 faculties of the modern Göttingen, which provides a broad choice of degree programs, especially in the humanities. It places a strong emphasis on creativity in particular, encouraging both methodological knowledge acquisition and creative thinking among faculty and students.
EU and international students pay the same tuition fees of £650 and are expected to spend around £5,754 in living costs, making a total of £6,404. The university is ranked number 111 in the Times Higher Education World University ranking. Additionally, the cost of studying at the University of Göttingen is not much compared to other universities. Note that to live comfortably in Göttingen, international students will require a monthly budget of around 700 euros.
4. Free University of Berlin, Germany.
With assistance from throughout the world, the Free University of Berlin was formed in 1948, enabling academics to continue their research and teaching without hindrance from politics. The university’s essential values—truth, justice, and freedom—remain, and are represented by these phrases on the seal of the institution.
The Free University of Berlin one of the cheapest English-speaking universities in Europe for international students
Furthermore, the university also claims 17 Leibniz Prize winners and five Nobel Prize winners among its faculty. The university is also leading German higher education institutions in terms of gender representation, with thirty percent of its professorships held by women.
Tuition fees for both EU and other international students are at £552, and the cost of living is at £5,754; a total of £6,306. The university ranks number 102 in the Times Higher Education World University ranking.
3. TU Dresden, Germany.
Technische Universität Dresden (TUD), founded in 1828 is located close to Germany’s eastern border with the Czech Republic, in the German city of Dresden, is a public university. Currently, TUD stands as one of Germany’s largest technical universities, a cutting-edge, multifunctional institution.
The university, which operates under the slogan “Wissen Schafft Brücken” (literally, “Knowledge builds bridges”), has 14 faculties spread across five schools. More than a hundred academic fields call it home, including the social sciences, humanities, and medical, as well as the scientific and engineering sciences.
With 125 degree programs available in a wide range of subjects and 14 faculties, TUD focuses on biomedicine, bioengineering, materials sciences, information technology, microelectronics, energy, and the environment in its research.
The 36,000 students who attend TUD are divided into roughly 40% who are from the Saxony area, 20% from other former East German federal states, and roughly 13% from abroad, mostly in Europe and Asia. The remaining students are from former West German federal states.
EU and international students pay the same tuition fees of £457 and spend an average of £4,869 on living costs, which is a total of £5,326 per year. The university ranks number 161 in the Times Higher Education World University ranking.
2. Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Italy.
A public university institute with particular autonomy, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies specializes in applied sciences, including economics and management, law, political science, agriculture and plant biotechnology, medicine, and industrial and information engineering.
The institution is residential in nature and provides courses for undergraduates and graduate students, including Master of Science, PhD, and seasonal programs. Dedicated to nurturing and enhancing talent and merit, this dynamic and highly inventive institution was founded in 1987 and is still going strong today.
Through cutting-edge pathways in the areas of advanced training, scientific research, and university education, the school fosters the internationalization of didactics and research.
This university charges zero tuition fees for all undergraduate students, regardless of nationality. The school takes care of the student’s living costs as well as tuition fees. However, the admission selection process is highly competitive. A master’s degree program costs between €7,500 and €10,000. The university is ranked number 201–250th in the Times Higher Education World University ranking.
1. Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, Italy.
Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa is a public university with distinctive features, such as a fully merit-based admissions process, seminar-style instruction, a close integration of research and teaching, an integrated campus community, and a strong emphasis on international exchanges based on the best European higher education model. It is one of the cheapest universities in Europe.
There are two different course options: PhD and undergraduate courses. Three academic institutions—the Faculty of Humanities, the Faculty of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, and—for the PhD program only—the Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences—located in Florence’s Palazzo Strozzi—are home to the teaching activities. The caliber of the pupils of the Scuola Normale is its greatest asset. They are enrolled in a fully free college system, chosen on the basis of merit through a unique examination, and their academic program revolves around a natural synthesis of experience, research, in-depth study, and epiphanies.
The university also offers zero Tuition fees and takes care of the student’s living costs as well as tuition fees. The university ranked number 168 in the Times Higher Education World University Ranking.
You can also learn more about some of the cheapest universities in Asia, America, Canada, and Australia for international students.
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